Emporia Recreation Commission members could meet a second time later this week following their regular meeting Monday evening.
As part of the regular meeting agenda, ERC members discussed the ongoing search for a new Rec Center Director which began earlier this year following the retirement of longtime director Tom McEvoy last year. According to ERC Chairman Jeremy Dorsey, 9-10 applications have been received for the position and it comprises a healthy mix of local and outside candidates.
According to Dorsey, members may reconvene later this week, hopefully no later than Friday, per Dorsey to narrow down a list of candidate finalists for interviews next month. Among the candidates is current interim Rec Director Amanda Gutierrez.
With that in mind, Dorsey made it clear during an interview with KVOE News Monday evening that while Gutierrez brings a great deal of experience to the table given her better than 20 years of experience in local rec operations not to mention her deep ties to the community, that will not garner her any special attention as the commission is committed to evaluating each candidate on their own merits and attributes.
An exact date and time for the proposed special meeting has yet to be announced.
In other business Monday, commissioners discussed a recent donation from Johnstone Supply as well as two grant opportunities, one being a United Way of the Flint Hills Pathways to a Healthy Kansas program grant and the other being a Kansas Department of Broadband ADOPT grant for the Emporia Public Library. For the pathway grant, Dorsey says staff are proposing using those dollars to help promote and facilitate indoor fitness activities.
The ADOPT grant meanwhile could potentially lead to a partnership between the ERC and the library which is looking to pursue the grant with hopes of installing new high-tech benches in various locations across the community according to Dorsey.
Further details on these opportunities will come at a later time.
Separately Monday, the ERC received the regular leadership team updates from Assistant Wellness Supervisor Lauren Carlson and Youth Program Supervisor Tiffany Miller.
